For several years, the International Maritime Organization (IMO) has been considering measures to counteract the impacts of Underwater Radiated Noise (URN). In 2014, the organization endorsed its initial set of guidelines, the 2014 IMO Guidelines on URN (MEPC.1/Circ.833). However, since the ratification of these guidelines, oceanic noise levels have continued to increase within certain regions of the world.
In recognition of this escalating issue, primarily caused by shipping activities, the IMO has taken further action. It has revised its guidelines to specifically address and mitigate the negative effects of this noise pollution on marine life. This updated set of guidelines was presented in the 2023 IMO Guidelines on URN (IMO MEPC.1/Circ.906).
Noting the above, representatives of ship owners and managers, IACS class Societies, and European and far East shipyards have recently formed a Tripartite Working Group (WG) on Underwater Radiated Noise (URN). The objective of this group is to encourage URN reduction through voluntary measures, and to leverage the strong synergy between energy efficiency and noise reduction to readily achieve this co-benefit.
Initially the WG would like to assess the existing level of uptake of the IMO Guidelines for the reduction of URN and of the quiet-ship class notations. Hence, your cooperation in completing the following brief questionnaire would be very much appreciated.
Please note:
- The data is being collected to support the work of the Tripartite working group.
- The data will be assessed among the parties behind the survey (ICS, BIMCO and INTERTANKO), but in anonymised form we may share the supplied information with other members of the Tripartite Working Group (i.e. IACS, ASEF, OCIMF and INTERCARGO) and with IMO.
- We will not share your contact details with any third parties.
- The anonymised data will exclude your name and position, your organisation's name, your email address and names of ships and IMO numbers.
- We may contact you if we have questions about the information supplied.
- The work of the Tripartite group is expected to extend to the end of 2029, at which point your data will be destroyed.
The survey will run from April to end of December 2024.
Please contact: marinesurveys@bimco.org should you have any queries or would like further information relating to this survey.
Thank you in advance for your time and effort in completing this survey. It will take around 10 minutes to complete.